Rosalyn Shim has been named an assistant professor of plant breeding and genetics with Texas Tech's Department of Plant and Soil Science, according to officials within the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. She officially stepped into her new post on April 1.

Shim indicated that she is interested in continuing her research efforts in molecular breeding, domestication genetics and germplasm development by wide hybridization. Specifically, she wants to focus on the development, molecular characterization and agronomic evaluation of wild crop species-derived genetic resources for value-added traits that can be used to improve existing crop varieties.

Alongside this, Shim would like to concentrate on elucidating the genetics of preferential chromosome transmission from the wild to the cultivated crop species. Findings from such research would form basis for the more effective and widespread utilization of wild relatives of crops as a reservoir of important genes for crop improvement.

One of her primary goals at Tech is to work with the current faculty to further advance the graduate and undergraduate programs for plant breeding and genetics.

"Plant breeding has come a long way from a simple practice of visual selection for desirable traits to allele shuffling to create favorable recombinations," she said. "Recent and rapid developments in genomics are quickly shifting breeding paradigms towards a more precise utilization of genetic variation for crop improvement. It's important that we are training 21st century breeders that are abreast with such developments while having a solid foundation of the basics of plant breeding."

Prior to joining the Tech faculty, Shim served as an assistant professor at the Bioscience and Biotechnology Center's Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biosystem at Nagoya University-Furo-cho, Nagoya and was stationed for the most part at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines as a Visiting Research Fellow. She worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Bioscience and Biotechnology Center, and a consultant for the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

In addition, she worked as an assistant scientist at the T.T. Chang Genetic Resources Center in the International Rice Research Institute, and editor with the Plant Sciences Team-CAB International Project in the Information Analyst Corporation.

Shim received her bachelor's degree and master's degree in genetics from the University of the Philippines-Los Banos (Laguna, Philippines). Her doctorate in agricultural sciences is from the Nagoya University-Furo-cho (Nagoya, Aichi, Japan). Recent honors for Shim include the Nagoya University Global Center of Excellence Scholarship, and Affiliate MS Thesis Research Scholar with the T.T. Chang Genetic Resources Center. She also currently serves as an Honorary Scientist and Advisor on Agricultural Science and Technology in Rural Development Administration of the Republic of Korea.
She is a member of the Philippine Society for the Advancement of Genetics, Crop Science Society of the Philippines, and Philippine Association of Japanese Government Scholars-Southern Luzon Chapter.

CONTACT: Eric Hequet, Department Chair, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2838 or eric.hequet@ttu.edu

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